December 12, 2017

3 Min Read
Oakville, MO, Residents Oppose Lemay Self-Storage Proposal

Update 12/12/17 – The St. Louis County Planning Commission wasn’t ready to vote on the self-storage project proposed by Lemay Storage during its Dec. 11 executive meeting. The development was one of four proposals set aside by planners. The project remains controversial, with about 70 residents attending a public hearing on Oct. 16 to oppose the plan, according to the source. No one spoke in favor of it during the hearing.

Property values continue to be among the chief concerns cited by homeowners in the Bristol Ridge and Providence Pointe subdivisions. A portion of a 1.4-acre wooded area would be cleared to make room for the storage buildings. Some yards back up to the “park-like setting,” and residents believe their view would be compromised even if the project included buffering due to grading, according to attorney Colleen Ruiz, who spoke on behalf of residents during the public hearing. The decks of Bristol Ridge homes, for example, would look down onto the storage property even if it was surrounded by trees, Ruiz said.

Vince Keady, an attorney representing Lemay Storage, countered that the self-storage facility would be a visual improvement over the used-car lot. “It’s been my experience that when you add a new development like this and take away a dilapidated building, it’s not going to hurt property values.”

The facility wouldn’t include any outdoor storage, and lighting would point only toward the storage property, Keady told planners. In addition, office hours would be limited to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., though tenants would have 24-hour, gated, keycode access to all 699 units.

It’s not clear if the planning commission will vote on the matter during its January meeting.

10/16/17 – Self-storage developer Lemay Storage LLC intends to build a 92,400-square-foot facility in Oakville, Mo., but several residents oppose the effort. The 4.4-acre property at 5419 Lemay Ferry Road would require a zoning change from residential to commercial for the project to move forward. The St. Louis County, Mo., Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss the proposal tonight during a public hearing, according to the source.

The plan calls for five structures, with three storage buildings ranging from 20,000 to 36,000 square feet. Two office buildings, one a two-story structure comprising 3,200 square feet and the other at 1,200 square feet, are also part of the design, the source reported.

The facility would be built on the corner of Lemay Ferry Road and Old Lemay Ferry Road, which is currently occupied by Moore’s Used Autos and Midwest Autohaus. The project would also require building onto a heavily wooded portion of the lot, which backs up to the Bristol Ridge Subdivision.

Residents who face Old Lemay Ferry Road would see the facility from their backyards and decks, according to Ron Garascia, a former real estate banker who lives in the neighborhood and is leading the opposition. “Who wants to come out of your subdivision and, all of a sudden, smack dab in front you have storage units?” he told the source.

Garascia believes the facility would lower property values and argued it’s unnecessary because there are six other storage facilities within a one-mile radius. The lot is across the street from a fire station, shopping center and tavern.

Representatives from Lemay Storage, which was formed in August, spoke with councilmember Ernie Trakas several months ago about its plans. The design was “pretty well-landscaped and keeping with an attractive design,” Trakas told the source, adding that it would still be necessary to listen to resident feedback.

Sources:
Call Newspapers: Oakville Residents Opposing Proposed Storage Facility; Public Hearing Slated Monday
Call Newspapers: Planning Panel to Consider South County Projects

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